Backlit Display Systems: Choosing the Size Before the Lights Go In

Brands and artwork shown are for illustrative purposes only.

A backlit display system is a wall of aluminium frames with LED lighting built in behind a printed SEG fabric graphic, so the image is lit through rather than lit onto. LYOLEY now sells it as its own range of kits, from one panel to six, priced from $1,395 to $6,095 including GST, with the frames, lighting and graphics in a single price. The decision that matters most comes first: the lighting cannot be added to an unlit frame later, so a backlit wall has to be chosen as a backlit wall at the time of ordering.

That makes sizing, power and artwork planning questions rather than afterthoughts. This guide covers what the range includes, how the sizes compare, and what to settle before anything goes into production.

What a backlit display system includes

Each kit in the backlit display systems collection is built from the same parts as the unlit range, with the lighting added:

• Aluminium frames, 2.4m tall and 0.95m wide per frame according to the product specifications, joined with tool-free Quick-Lock connectors.
• LED backlighting behind the graphic, included in the kit price.
• Banner tracks around each frame, which hold the fabric under tension.
• Custom printed SEG fabric graphics, one per panel, made to your approved artwork.

It is not a screen. There is no video, no scheduling and no software. The graphic stays as printed until the fabric is swapped, which suits seasonal campaigns, product launches and brand walls that change a few times a year rather than a few times a day.

Brands and artwork shown are for illustrative purposes only.

Backlit display system sizes and prices

The five kits step up by panel count. Widths below are the nominal overall run for each kit. Prices are in AUD, include GST, and are shown next to the matching unlit kit for comparison.

Commercial quantities are quoted separately, as are custom sizes for walls that do not suit a standard panel count.

Matching the kit to the space

• One panel suits a product call-out, a narrow bay beside a counter, or an entry point where floor space is tight. It is also the lowest-cost way to see how a lit graphic performs in your own store before committing to a longer run.
• Two or three panels give enough width for a brand statement at a store entrance or a promotional zone, with room for an image and a message side by side.
• Four panels turn a wall into a sequence: image, claim, product detail, call to action, read in order as someone walks past. It is the point where a display starts working as a feature wall rather than a sign.
• Six panels are for flagship stores, showrooms and long walls in high-traffic areas where the display has to hold its own at distance.

Settle these before the order goes into production

Every kit is made to order after a consultation that confirms configuration, measurements, artwork and site requirements. With a backlit wall, a few of those questions carry more weight.

Power at the wall

The lighting needs a power supply near the display. Find out where the nearest outlet is before you choose a position, not after the kit arrives. If a new outlet is needed, that is fixed electrical installation work. In Victoria, for example, Energy Safe Victoria advises that anyone planning electrical installation work must engage a registered electrical contractor, and that the licensed electrician must provide a Certificate of Electrical Safety once the work is done. Rules differ between states, so check the requirements where your site is.

Mounting and your lease

Backlit and modular kits mount the same way: a simple trade tool set, with minimal fixing and drilling. Before you choose a wall, check what your lease or centre management allows in terms of fixings, power and reinstatement at the end of the tenancy. Every lease is different, so read your own agreement and get advice where the position is unclear.

Ambient light

Backlighting earns its keep in bright spaces, where an unlit print competes with ceiling lights, window glare and other displays. On a wall that is already well lit, an unlit tensioned graphic may do the same job for less. When lighting the panel is worth it works through that trade-off in more detail.

Artwork built for light

Light favours strong images and short lines. Dense copy is harder to read on a lit panel, not easier. Plan the layout across the panels you are ordering, and get any claims on the graphic checked before you approve it, because approved artwork goes to print as approved.

Running costs and electrical safety

Lighting is an ongoing cost as well as an upfront one. The Australian Government's energy guidance for business notes that lighting can consume up to 40% of energy in commercial premises, and that LEDs use up to 75% less energy than old halogens and last up to 25 times as long. The same guidance points to turning lights off when they are not needed, so plan for the display to be switched off, or put on a timer, outside trading hours.

If the wall will travel to events, treat it as electrical equipment. Venues set their own rules: the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre's exhibitor checklist tells exhibitors to test and tag every piece of electrical equipment before coming on site. WorkSafe Queensland explains that after inspection and testing, a durable tag must be attached showing the test date and the next scheduled test date. The trade show backdrop checklist covers the rest of what venues ask for.

When a backlit system is the wrong choice

• There is no power near the wall and running a new circuit would cost more than the display.
• The display moves every few days between sites that each need their own power plan.
• The wall is already well lit, and the graphic reads clearly without help.
• You are still testing the message. An unlit kit from the modular display kits range is the cheaper place to prove a layout. Remember it stays unlit, because a modular kit cannot be converted to backlit later.

Ordering and delivery

Orders are generally processed within 1 to 5 business days. Production, freight and delivery are currently estimated at approximately 45 calendar days from the date the order and artwork are approved, so a launch date needs to be worked back from there. Because every kit is made to your approved specification, there are no refunds, returns or exchanges for change of mind, which does not affect your rights under the Australian Consumer Law. The full position is in the terms and conditions.

If you have a wall in mind, book a consultation with its measurements, the location of the nearest power outlet and a photo of the space in trading light. That is enough to confirm whether a backlit run suits it, and which size.